CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 10TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
West Kirby Marine Lake
7 Scaup (4 male,3 female) and 13 Brent Geese.

Leasowe Lighthouse
Short-eared Owl and a Jack Snipe west end of horse paddocks.

Burton RSPB
Great Egret x3 Burton Marsh From Point
Pink-Footed Geese x1000 As Above
Whooper Swan x4 IMF
Stonechat x2 Bird crop Field
Cetti`s Warbler Reedbed Screen
Goldcrest Marsh Covert Wood
Avocet x27 Main Scrape
Pintail x2 Main Scrape
Mediterranean Gull x2 Main Scrape
Merlin Tree Above New Toilet Block
Brambling By Feeder Near Barn
Marsh Harrier Over Wet Grassland
Chiffchaff Between Willow & Woodland Mere

Birkenhead
Caspian Gull-3rd Summer at docks at Beaufort Road opposite Beaufort House. 

CHESHIRE
Astbury Mere
2 Hawfinch still in silver birches left of visitors car park.

Cuddington
1 Hawfinch-Still at Delamere Park at corner of Westrees.

Marbury Country Park

7 Hawfinch still around Arboretum and Bittern still-T A Coward reedbed.Lesser spotted woodpecker-Mere side alders.

Sandbach Flashes
Juvenile Glaucous Gull,Little Egret and Adult Yellow legged gull-Elton Hall flash.Greater Scaup-Railway flash.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
PACIFIC DIVER-Adult-Portscatho-Cornwall.

NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti on the south basin; view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 9TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
Burton RSPB
Pink-Footed Geese x9000+ Burton Marsh From Point
Whooper Swan x4 IMF
Goldcrest Marsh Covert Wood
Nuthatch By Woodland Mere
Pintail 5 Main Scrape
Avocet x26 Main Scrape
Peregrine Fence Right Wet Grassland
Merlin Tree Above New Toilet Block
Brambling By Feeder Near Barn
Woodcock Copse To IMF
Hen Harrier (RT) Over Reedbed From IMF

Leasowe Lighthouse
Wheatear *first of spring and equals the earliest date for last 10 years* in horse paddocks.


West Kirby Marine Lake
7 Scaup (4 male,3 female) showing well at south end,2 Red-breasted Merganser and 19 Brent Geese.


Neston marsh
2 Great White Egret.


Hilbre
4 Eider,338 Bar-tailed Godwit,Peregrine and a Stonechat.

CHESHIRE
Astbury Mere
1 Hawfinch still in silver birches left of visitors car park.

Newchurch Common

Female Smew of unknown origin-In eastern bay of large pool north of track.

Marbury Country Park

3 Hawfinch still around Old Hall site.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-

Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti,view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 8TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
West Kirby Marine Lake
7 Scaup (4 male,3 female) and 20 Brent Geese.

Burton RSPB
Whooper Swan x5 IMF
Woodcock In Copse Seen From Boardwalk To IMF
Treecreeper In Copse
Cetti`s Warbler Along Boardwalk Near Bence
Avocet x22 Main Scrape
Pintail x2 Main Scrape
Redwing x20 Field Left Bunker Entrance
Reed Bunting x2 Feeder By Barn
Brambling x1 By Feeder Near Barn
Marsh Harrier Over Wet GrasslandCurlew x32 Field Left Of House

CHESHIRE
Sandbach Flashes
Juvenile Glaucous gull,Great White egret and Greater Scaup-Railway flash.

Cuddington
2 Hawfinch-Still at Delamere Park at corner of Westrees.

Widnes
Glaucous Gull-On roof of WRC recycling centre at Ditton Road, next to road works. Park near 'It's a kind of magic' cafe 

Warrington
Iceland Gull-Winwick road near Warrington and Vale Royal college.

Astbury Mere
1 Hawfinch still in silver birches left of visitors car park.

Hale
2 Jack Snipe-By Lighthouse and Iceland gull flew past.Great White egret flew towards decoy roost.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
THAYER'S GULL- Still in Blackheath Down pig field east of road-walk c.1.5km east along bridleway and view fields to north-Tipdit-Hampshire.

NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-

Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti,view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

PACIFIC DIVER-Adult offshore-Pendower beach-Cornwall.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 7TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
Hilbre
5 Eider,17 Lapwing,Merlin and 3 Stonechat.

Burton RSPB
Oystercatcher x2 IMF
Water Rail In Copse Going To IMF
Woodcock Looking Down In To Copse From Path To IMF
Stonechat x2 Bird crop Field
Merlin Fence Right Of Wet Grassland
Peregrine As Above
Avocet x20 Main Scrape
Pintail x2 Main Scrape
Redwing x70+ Field Left Bunker Entrance
Brambling Feeder By Barn
Pink-Footed Geese x800+ Flew Over Reser

West Kirby Marine Lake
7 Scaup

Leasowe Lighthouse
11 Stonechat in horse paddocks.


North Wirral Coast
15,000 Common Scoter,4 Red-throated Diver and a Little Grebe.

CHESHIRE
Marbury Country Park
2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker-Big wood,2 Hawfinches-Around swimming pool.Ruff,Green sandpiper,10 Goosander and Mandarin duck-Budworth mere.

Pickerings Pasture
Glaucous Gull-One dropped in for wash and brush up opposite white bridge.

Sandbach Flashes
Juvenile Glaucous gull,Great White egret and Greater Scaup-Railway flash.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-

Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti,view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 6TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
West Kirby Marine Lake
7 Scaup,5 Red-breasted Merganser and 14 Brent Geese.

Hoylake Shore
800 Bar-tailed Godwit and 15,000 Knot in wader roost.


West Kirby Shore
15,000 Knot.

Decca Pools
3 Barn Owl and a Short-eared Owl.


Inner Marsh Farm
Barn Owl.

Burton RSPB
Great Egret By Border Pool
Oystercatcher x2 IMF
Water Rail Bridge Screen
Treecreeper Tree By Woodland Mere
Whooper Swan x6 Flew Over Wet Grassland
Avocet x2 Main Scrape
Dunlin x4 Main Scrape
Snipe x3 By Reception
Peregrine Tree By D Barn
Marsh Harrier Over Wet Grassland
Tawny Owl Calling Marsh Covert Wood
Woodcock In Copse To IMF
Merlin Tree Above New Toilet Block

Neston Marsh
Firecrest-Still at sewage works also Water Pipit and Great white egret.

Denhall Quay
Great White egret,Ringtail Hen Harrier and Short Eared owl.

CHESHIRE
Warrington
Iceland Gull-Winwick road near Warrington and Vale Royal college.

Newchurch Common

Female Smew of unknown origin-In eastern bay of large pool north of track.300+ Brambling set aside field.

Astbury Mere
2 Hawfinches in silver birches left of visitors car park.

Sandbach Flashes
Great White egret and Greater Scaup.

Marbury Country Park

Ruff,Green sandpiper-Budworth mere and 2 Hawfinch still around Arboretum.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
PACIFIC DIVER-Adult-Gerrans Bay-Cornwall.

THAYER'S GULL- Still in Blackheath Down pig field east of road-walk c.1.5km east along bridleway and view fields to north-Tipdit-Hampshire.

NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-

Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti,view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 28TH FEBRUARY-6TH MARCH-2018

CLICK ON LINK

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF RARE BIRDS THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN-28TH FEBRUARY-6TH MARCH 2018

CLICK ON LINK

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 5TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
West Kirby Marine Lake
5 Scaup,3 Red-breasted Merganser and 21 Brent Geese.

Hilbre
7 Scaup.

Leasowe Lighthouse
10,000+ Common Scoter flying West over two hours before high tide,also a Velvet Scoter,108 Great Crested Grebe,8 Red-breasted Merganser and a Red-throated diver.

Parkgate-Baths Car park
3 Marsh Harrier,Ring tailed Hen Harrier,Peregrine,Merlin and a Great White Egret.

Hoylake Shore
18,500 Knot,8,000 Dunlin and 350 Sanderling with smaller numbers of Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit.


Burton Marsh
2 Short-eared Owl around 4:50pm.


Heswall
Snow Bunting reported in garden.

Burton RSPB
Brambling Feeder By Barn
Stonechat x2 Near Barn
Snipe Reception Pool
Reed Bunting By Reception
Avocet x2 Main Scrape
Marsh Harrier Over Wet Grassland
Water Rail In Copse To IMF
Woodcock In Copse To IMF
Great Egret Reedbed Seen From IMF
Avocet x2 IMF
Golden Plover x12 Wet Grassland

CHESHIRE
Astbury Mere
2 Hawfinches in silver birches left of visitors car park

Marbury Country Park
2 Bittern-T A Coward reedbed,2 Ruff,Dunlin-Kid Brook spit,Lesser Spotted woodpecker-Big wood and 15 Hawfinches-Arboretum.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN
THAYER'S GULL- Still in Blackheath Down pig field east of road-walk c.1.5km east along bridleway and view fields to north-Tipdit-Hampshire.

A MORNINGS BIRDING AT MARBURY COUNTRY PARK

I spent this morning on my old patch at Marbury country park and it didn't take long after my arrival before I saw a familiar face walking towards me,patch regular Dave Bedford.I haven't seen Dave for a long time and it was nice to catch up and he showed me the best area to see the Hawfinches that have taken up residence in the park after the autumn influx across Britain.Dave had seen twelve Hawfinches just before I had arrived around the arboretum.It wasn't long before a bird appeared,elusive as always looking down on me. 

Four more Hawfinches showed well before one popped up in full view calling

I spent the next hour looking for the Bittern on Budworth mere but there  was no sign.Moving on to Neumann's flash a pair of Bullfinches were around Pod's hide and a skulking Cetti's warbler.

A Kingfisher showed well behind the mound on the brook down towards the scrapyard before I left.

A good mornings birding and nice to be back on my old patch.

CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL BIRD NEWS AND UK MEGAS 4TH MARCH 2018

WIRRAL
West Kirby Marine Lake
5 Scaup, 9 Red-breasted Merganser and 175 Brent Geese along shore to Red Rocks.

Hilbre
2 Scaup and a Snipe.

Burton RSPB
Jack Snipe In Ditch By Barn
Redwing Field Left Bunker Entrance
Pintail Reception Pool
Reed Bunting By Reception
Common Snipe Reception Pool
Oystercatcher Over Main Scrape
Avocet x Main Scrape
Peregrine On Wet Grassland
Hen Harrier (RT) Over Wet Grassland
Water Rail In Copse To IMF
Woodcock X2 In Copse To IMF
Brambling Feeder By Barn

Parkgate
4 Marsh Harriers,Short Eared owl,Merlin,Bittern and Ringtail Hen Harrier.

Hoylake
50 Bar Tailed Godwits,200 Grey Plover,3000 Dunlin,1000 Knot,100 Sanderling.

Thurstaston Shore
Redhead Goosander in channel.

Neston-Between Harp Inn and Decca Pools.
Barn Owl,Short eared owl,Green Sandpiper and 1300 Pink Footed geese.

Caldy Wildfowl Ponds
65 Black Tailed godwits,120 Oystercatcher,3 Curlew,10 Mandarin Duck.

CHESHIRE
Pickerings Pasture
1st Winter Glaucous gull,2 Iceland Gull-Adult and 2nd Winter-Yellow legged gull.

Hale
3 Brambling,Merlin-Male and Little Owl-Within Way

(C)DAVE CRAVEN

Warrington
Iceland Gull-Adult still at Alban Retail Park next to Pizza Hut and Nandos, feasting on bread.

Marbury Country Park
Hawfinch-17 in arboretum,2 Ruff and 6 Dunlin-Kid brook spit.Cetti's warbler-Near Pods hide-Neumann's Flash.

Newchurch Common

Female Smew of unknown origin-In eastern bay of large pool north of track.300+ Brambling and 100+ Linnet set aside field.

Sandbach Flashes
Juvenile Iceland Gull,Juvenile Glaucous Gull and 7 Dunlin-Elton Hall Flash.Great White egret-Railway flash.

Cuddington1 Hawfinch-Still at Delamere Park at corner of Westrees.

Astbury Mere
2 Hawfinch,Redhead Smew until 9.15am when flew off high south east.Also Dunlin present here,the first one for this site in 25 years.

Brereton

Short-eared Owl- Brereton Heath late afternoon.

Use LNR car park. Walk left out of car park gates along lane.At junction of lanes bear right (SW) on Bagmere Lane then look South after 200m from SJ794648.View only from lane.

MEGAS IN BRITAIN

NORTH AMERICAN HORNED LARK-Female alpestris,praticola or hoyti on the south basin; view from causeway between A3044 and Town Lane (TQ051731, TW19 7PU)-Staines reservoir-Surrey.

THAYER'S GULL-Juvenile-Isbley water-Blashford lakes-Hampshire.